Influence of Geographical Area of Production on the Caffeine and Flavan-3-ol Profiles of Selected Clonal Green Tea Leaves from Smallholder Tea Farms in Kenya

Abstract

Despite the use of similar cultivars in the smallholder tea sector in Kenya, resultant black tea quality varies. These variations could in part be arising from the formation of varying quantities and ratios of the black tea quality precursor compounds with agro-ecological zones of production. This study evaluated the variations in the caffeine and flavon-3-ol profiles of three cultivars (SFS 150, TRFK 31/8 and TRFK 303/577) of tea from smallholder tea farms in three agro-zones in Kenya. Overall, there were significant variations (p ≤0.05) in the levels of caffeine and flavan-3-ols due to cultivars and agro-ecological zones of production. In the same cultivar, the components varied (p ≤0.05) with an ecological area of production. The patterns in the changes were not systematically leading significant ecological zone x cultivar interactions effects in gallic acid, catechin, and epicatechin gallate. This demonstrated that it may not …